Heinrich Wenck
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Emil Charles Wenck (10 March 1851 – 3 February 1936) was a Danish
architect, known for the numerous railway stations he designed in his capacity of chief architect for the Danish State Railways from 1894 to 1921. During the years Wenck held the post, the railway network in Denmark experienced a strong expansion and he designed around 150 stations of which 15 are listed today. Among these are Copenhagen Central Station and the Øresund Railway
stations which are examples of his National Romantic
and Historicist
styles. From 1903 he was a titular professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen
.
to Theodor Wenck, a military officer and later general à la suite who worked for the Danish road services, and his wife née Pacht. He attended the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1869 studying under Ferdinand Meldahl and Christian Hansen
, graduating in 1876. In 1878 he won the Academy's small gold medal for a project for a library in Neo-Gothic style
and received a travel scholarship which took him to Italy
from 1883 to 1885.
From 1882 Wenck was employed by the Danish State Railways. He first worked under chief architect Niels Peder Christian Holsøe but from 1891, when Holsøe was hit by an eye disease, he gradually took over more of his responsibilities with title of First Architect, before succeeding him as Chief Architect in 1894. His first major assignment was Helsingør railway station which he designed in collaboration with Holsøe. It was inaugurated on 24 October 1891.
From 1895 to 1897 he worked on the stations for the Øresund Railway
which connected Copenhagen to Helsingør. They are designed in a fabulating National Romantic
style which draws on inspiration from Martin Nyrop
. Wenck did not just design the stations proper but also a number of related buildings, such as carriage houses, offices, housing for workers, switchmen's houses, warehouses and lavatories. With many of the stations, his approach was that of Gesamtkunst
to the effect that he also designed the signs, door handles, chandeliers and painted frescos. The stations won him the Eckersberg Medal
in 1898.
Wenck retired from the State Railways in 1921 and was succeeded by Knud Tanggaard Seest. He died in 1936
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
architect, known for the numerous railway stations he designed in his capacity of chief architect for the Danish State Railways from 1894 to 1921. During the years Wenck held the post, the railway network in Denmark experienced a strong expansion and he designed around 150 stations of which 15 are listed today. Among these are Copenhagen Central Station and the Øresund Railway
Kystbanen
The Coast Line is a regional railway line between Helsingør and Copenhagen in Denmark. It was opened in 1897, and it is today the busiest railway line in Denmark...
stations which are examples of his National Romantic
Romantic nationalism
Romantic nationalism is the form of nationalism in which the state derives its political legitimacy as an organic consequence of the unity of those it governs...
and Historicist
Historicism (art)
Historicism refers to artistic styles that draw their inspiration from copying historic styles or artisans. After neo-classicism, which could itself be considered a historicist movement, the 19th century saw a new historicist phase marked by a return to a more ancient classicism, in particular in...
styles. From 1903 he was a titular professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
Biography
Heinrich Wenck was born on 10 March 1851 in AarhusAarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
to Theodor Wenck, a military officer and later general à la suite who worked for the Danish road services, and his wife née Pacht. He attended the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 1869 studying under Ferdinand Meldahl and Christian Hansen
Christian Hansen (architect)
Hans Christian Hansen was a Historicist Danish architect who worked 18 years in Greece where he was active in the transformation of Athens from a small town to the country's capital and an international metropolis...
, graduating in 1876. In 1878 he won the Academy's small gold medal for a project for a library in Neo-Gothic style
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
and received a travel scholarship which took him to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
from 1883 to 1885.
From 1882 Wenck was employed by the Danish State Railways. He first worked under chief architect Niels Peder Christian Holsøe but from 1891, when Holsøe was hit by an eye disease, he gradually took over more of his responsibilities with title of First Architect, before succeeding him as Chief Architect in 1894. His first major assignment was Helsingør railway station which he designed in collaboration with Holsøe. It was inaugurated on 24 October 1891.
From 1895 to 1897 he worked on the stations for the Øresund Railway
Kystbanen
The Coast Line is a regional railway line between Helsingør and Copenhagen in Denmark. It was opened in 1897, and it is today the busiest railway line in Denmark...
which connected Copenhagen to Helsingør. They are designed in a fabulating National Romantic
Romantic nationalism
Romantic nationalism is the form of nationalism in which the state derives its political legitimacy as an organic consequence of the unity of those it governs...
style which draws on inspiration from Martin Nyrop
Martin Nyrop
Martin Nyrop was a Danish architect who designed the Copenhagen City Hall, the Vallekilde Højskole, and the majority of the buildings for the Nordic Industrial, Agricultural and Art Exhibition.-Selected buildings:...
. Wenck did not just design the stations proper but also a number of related buildings, such as carriage houses, offices, housing for workers, switchmen's houses, warehouses and lavatories. With many of the stations, his approach was that of Gesamtkunst
Gesamtkunstwerk
A Gesamtkunstwerk is a work of art that makes use of all or many art forms or strives to do so...
to the effect that he also designed the signs, door handles, chandeliers and painted frescos. The stations won him the Eckersberg Medal
Eckersberg Medal
The Eckersberg Medal is an annual award of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts...
in 1898.
Wenck retired from the State Railways in 1921 and was succeeded by Knud Tanggaard Seest. He died in 1936
Selected works
- Buildings for Østsjællandske Jernbaneselskab (1879)
- Gribskov Railway stationsGribskovbanenGribskovbanen is a local passenger railway north of Copenhagen in Denmark, now part of the Lokalbanen system. It runs north from Hillerød where transfers from the S-train system as well as other Lokalbanen lines are possible, and through the Grib Skov forest...
(1879–80) - Helsingør Station, Helsingør (1889–91, with N.P.C. Holsøe, listed in 1992)
- Lyngby StationLyngby stationLyngby station is a station on the Hillerød radial of the S-train network in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located centrally in Kongens Lyngby. With its large bus terminal, it is an important hub for public transport in the northern suburbs of Copenhagen....
(II) (1890–91, with N.P.C. Holsøe, demolished in 1956) - Slagelse-Næstved Railway stations (1891–92)
- Skælskør Railway stations (1891–92)
- Frihavnens Station, Copenhagen (1895, extended by Wenck in 1900, restored in 1986, dismantled in 2001 and rebuilt on Amerikas Plads in 2005)
- Øresund Railway stationsKystbanenThe Coast Line is a regional railway line between Helsingør and Copenhagen in Denmark. It was opened in 1897, and it is today the busiest railway line in Denmark...
(1895–97) - Østerport StationØsterport stationØsterport station is a railway station in Østerbro, Copenhagen, Denmark. It is served by most S-trains, Kystbanen and other regional trains, as well as some InterCity trains.The station is used by approximately 30,000 passengers each day.-History:...
(1894–97 - Copenhagen Goods Station, Copenhagen (1895–1901, demolished in 1968)
- Græsted-Gilleleje Railway stationsGribskovbanenGribskovbanen is a local passenger railway north of Copenhagen in Denmark, now part of the Lokalbanen system. It runs north from Hillerød where transfers from the S-train system as well as other Lokalbanen lines are possible, and through the Grib Skov forest...
(1896) - Holte StationHolte stationHolte station is the railway station in Holte near Copenhagen, Denmark. It is served by S-trains on the Hillerød radial....
rebuilding (1900) - Københavns Goods Terminal, Otto Busses Vej (1901 og 1907)
- Villa Søbæk, 394 Strandvejen, EspergærdeEspergærdeEspergærde is situated in Northern Zealand near Øresund and is statically considered part of the larger urban area Espergærde-Snekkersten-Elsinore, some 5 to 8 km south of the centre of Elsinore and in reality separated from the urban area of Elsinore-Snekkersten by a 100 m wide unbuilt area,...
(1902) - Esbjerg Banegård (II) (1902–04, fredet)
- Sorø Customs House and Post Office, SorøSorøSorø is a town in Sorø municipality in Region Sjælland on the island of Zealand in east Denmark. The population is 7,805 . The municipal council and the regional council are located in Sorø....
(1903) - Gedser Station (II) (1903)
- Incineration plant, mow sports centre, Stæhr Johansens Vej, FrederiksbergFrederiksbergFrederiksberg Kommune is a municipality on the island of Zealand in Denmark. It surrounded by the city of Copenhagen. The municipality, co-extensive with its seat, covers an area of and has a total population of 98,782 making it the smallest municipality in Denmark area-wise, the fifth most...
(1903) - Holstebro Station (II) (1904, listed in 1990)
- Copenhagen Central Station (III) (1904–12, rebuilt several times, including in 1977-80 by Dissing + WeitlingDissing + WeitlingDissing+Weitling is an architecture and design practice based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The founders and namesakes Hans Dissing and Otto Weitling founded the firm upon the death of Arne Jacobsen as a continuation of his office where both had been key employees....
, listed in 1983, water tower and signal posts demolished) - Strømmen StationStrømmen StationStrømmen is a railway station on Hovedbanen in Skedsmo, Norway. It is served by the Oslo Commuter Rail line 400 operated by Norges Statsbaner running from Lillestrøm via Oslo S to Asker. The station was opened in 1854 along with the rest of Hovedbanen....
(1905, nedlagt, listed in 2006) - Stevnstrup Station (II) (1905, nedrevet 1979)
- Korsør Station (II) and Customs House (1905–06, listed in 1992)
- Vipperød Station (1906)
- Nørresundby Station (1906–07, fredet)
- Amager Railway stationsAmagerbanenAmagerbanen was a Danish railroad line located on Amager, inaugurated on July 10, 1907, and closed on June 15, 1957.A mostly underground metro line, completed in 2007, was built along much of the same route as the original railroad.- External links :*...
(1906–07): Amagerbro StationAmagerbro stationAmagerbro Station is a rapid transit station on the Copenhagen Metro, located in the Sundbyøster district of Copenhagen. It opened in 2002.The station serves the M2 line and connects with bus services. It is located between the Christianshavn and Lergravsparken stations. It is located in fare zone...
(nedrevet 1938), Øresundsvej Trinbræt, Engvej Trinbræt (nedrevet), Kastrup StationKastrup stationKastrup Station is a rapid transit station of the Copenhagen Metro, located in the Kastrup section of Tårnby. It opened on 28 September 2007....
, Tømmerup Station (nedrevet 1968), Store Magleby Station (nedrevet), Dragør Station (vandtårn og remise nedrevet) - Tietgensbroen, Copenhagen (1907–09, rebuilt several times)
- DSBs Central Workshops, Copenhagen (1907–10)
- Herfølge Station (1908, listed)
- Resenbro Station (1908)
- Nørre Åby Station, Nørre Åby (1909, listed)
- Copenhagen Central Post BuildingCopenhagen Central Post BuildingCopenhagen Central Post Building , located on Tietgensgade, just behind the Central Station, in the Vesterbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark, was originally built as a new headquarters for the Danish Post and Telegraph Company and now houses Post Danmark.The building was designed in Neo-Baroque...
, Tietgensgade, Copenhagen (1909–12) - Administration building for DFDS Central Workshops, AarhusAarhusAarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
(1910, woth Povl BaumannPovl BaumannPovl Erik Raimund Baumann was a Danish architect who was a central figure during the transition from Neoclassicism to Functionalism in Danish residential architecture...
) - Vesterfælledvej StationEnghave stationEnghave station is an S-train station in Copenhagen, Denmark. The station opened on November 11, 1911. S-train service commenced on November 1, 1934, and today the station is serviced by trains on Vestbanen and Frederikssundbanen....
and pedestrian bridge (1911, nedrevet 1984) - Valby StationValby stationValby station is a railway station in the Valby district of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located where the Tåstrup and Frederikssund radials of the S-train network diverge, and is served by trains on either radial. Some regional and intercity trains also stop at Valby, mainly to provide transfers to...
(1911, closed pedestrian bridge demolished) - Stenløse StationStenløse stationStenløse station is a station on the Frederikssund radial of the S-train network in around Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located centrally in the town of Stenløse.-References:...
, StenløseStenløseStenløse is a town and a former municipality in Egedal municipality in Region Hovedstaden on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark...
(1912) - Odense Central Station, OdenseOdenseThe city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
(II) (1912–14, demolished) - Stationer på Ørsaa-Asaa-banen (1914): Asaa Station m.fl.
- Engesvang Station (1914)
- Grejsdal Station (II) (1914–15, demolished in 1977)
- Vinderup Station (1915)
- Hornbæk-Gilleleje-banenHornbæk-Gilleleje Railway stations (1915–16)
- Stationerne på Funder-Bramming banen (1915–17)
- Stationerne på Bramming-Grindsted-banen (1916): Grindsted Station m.fl.
- Kokkedal Station (II) på Kystbanen (1916)
- Svendborg StationSvendborg stationSvendborg Station was built in 1876 for the opening of Svendborgbanen July 12, 1876. The main building is designed by N. P. C. Holsøe. The building was opened July 10, 1878.The station building contains a DSB kiosk and a DSB travel agency....
extension, SvendborgSvendborgSvendborg is a town on the island of Funen in south-central Denmark. The town is in Svendborg municipality . Svendborg is the second-largest city on Funen and has a population of 27,009 ....
(1916) - Grindsted-Brande Railway stations (1917)
- Hedehusene Station (1917)
- Taastrup StationTaastrup stationTaastrup station is a station on the Taastrup radial of the S-train network in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located in the town of Taastrup....
(1917–18, demolished in 1979) - Vejen Station (II) (1917, fredet)
- Gilleleje Station, GillelejeGillelejeGilleleje is, with a population of 6,491 , one of the main towns of the Gribskov municipality in Region Hovedstaden in Denmark. The town is at the northernmost point of Sjælland in Denmark.-Etymology:...
(1918) - Glostrup StationGlostrup stationGlostrup station is a station on the Høje Taastrup radial of the S-train network in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located close to the historical, administrative and commercial centre of Glostrup municipality, but also serves Brøndbyvester in Brøndby municipality, whose boundary comes within a few...
(1918–19) - Aarhus Goods Terminal, AarhusAarhusAarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
(1918–23) - Water tower, Grindsted Station (1919)
- Jernbaneskolen, HellerupHellerupHellerup is a Danish town of Region Hovedstaden, located in the Gentofte Municipality in Denmark. It is bordered to the east by the sound Øresund and to the South by Copenhagen and counted among the most affluent areas in Denmark....
, now Københavns Amts Tale- og Høreinstitut, Rygårds Allé 45 (1919–20, rebuilt) - Administration wing towards Bernstoffsgade, Copenhagen Central Station, Copenhagen (1919–23, with K.T. Seest, listed)
- Østerport Goods Station, Copenhagen (1921)